On Sept. 9 at the 174th anniversary of the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850, members of the 21 signatory nations gathered to celebrate their culture and educate others in the community.
It was also a time to celebrate the treaty annuity payments now making their way into Northern Ontario, part of the $10-billion settlement between the treaty nations and the federal and provincial governments that was announced in 2023.
But the fight for treaty rights did not just begin in the last decade, said Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Team (RHTLF) trustee, Duke Peltier of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory.
He told the attendees at the gathering, hosted at Anderson Farm in Lively on the traditional grounds of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, the beginning of the fight to honour treaty rights that were promised happened just one year after it was signed: 1851.
From there, said Peltier, the time was spent “petitioning, letter writing, watching development and settlement happen around us, around our communities.”
It wasn't until 1874 that the current annuity was increased to $4. And while 2023 brought the $10-billion settlement between the RHTLF and the federal and provincial governments for past compensation, what they are owed going forward is yet to be determined.
But the gathering, said Peltier, was about celebration and honouring the work already done, but also “to be able to convince and compel both the federal and provincial governments to Increase the annuity to an appropriate level that is satisfactory to everyone that is party to the treaty.
That’s because everyone on the land is a treaty relative, said Peltier.
“We are all treaty people, whether you're a Canadian citizen or somebody coming as an immigrant into the country, you're taking all those responsibilities that our people who've carried the burden of the 1850 treaty up until today. So we do require your assistance,” he said.
Non-indigenous allies were honoured in the morning with a gift, including Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Mike Mantha, Sudbury MPP Jamie West, Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefevbre, Espanola Mayor Doug Gervais , and Blind River Mayor Sally Hagman, as well as professor Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara, who not only started a petition in 2020 for those who supported recognizing the treaty annuity, but a wrote a book, Living in Indigenous Sovereignty.
The book features the written experiences of 13 white Canadians who are deeply engaged in solidarity work with Indigenous people.
Then, it was time to honour those who spent their lives with an understanding of the treaty — the elders. Peltier told of a community meeting in 2015 which was to discuss the court proceedings with the elders, to get an idea what they might face when they went to a colonial court, but also, who might be best to testify, and like Rita Corbiere, be cross-examined by the Crown.
“I remember being at that meeting in Sagamok (First Nation), and there were probably about 80 or so elders that were sitting in the room, around a circle, and they were all having these conversations,” Peltier told the group. “And ultimately, they themselves decided and recommended who was going to be the elders that were going to sit in court,” he said with a laugh.
Not only did many of the elders there testify on behalf of the RHTLF, but they worked with all the nations and legal team to provide guidance, not just on Anishnaabe common law and language, but also, for ceremony.
RHTLF Cultural Advisor Leroy Bennett, who often led the ceremonies before court hearings or meetings, said it helped the team move forward with strength, “but not strength and anger, strength and kindness.”
The person who led that strength and kindness, he said, was Mike Restoule, who not only led the court case, but was chair of the RHTLF.
Restoule was presented with a star-blanket, made by Debbie Fox, in recognition for his dedication to his community and his people.
He also received another special gift, one he had been saving for: a Martin D-15M acoustic guitar.
“This is an important time to honour people while they're still here with us, so they can also celebrate,” said Restoule of the gathering, and of the elders present.
We don't need to do things and when they're already gone and crossed over, it's important to celebrate the people around you,” said Peltier in closing. “Show them that love, show them that kindness, because that's what we need to do everyday, show the people.”
You can find more information about the history of the treaty here.
Jenny Lamothe covers vulnerable and marginalized populations for Sudbury.com.